Securing railroad-rails to the cross-ties



PATBNTED NOV. 20, 1860.

S. H. WITMER.

SECURING RAILROAD RAILS TO THE CROSS TIES.

' than the common tie.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

S. H. WITMER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SECURING RAILROAD-RAILS TO THE GROSS-TIES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,702, dated November 20, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL H. VVITMER, of Cincinnati, in the county ofHamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and usefulMethod of Securing RailroadRails to Vooden Cross-Ties; and I herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part ofthis specification.

My invention has for its object a cheap and secure mode of joining Trails to the customary wooden cross tie by means of an arrangement ofpeculiarly-formed confining plates in a transversely gained tie ashereinafter explained.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of portions of two contiguous rails inplace. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 3- showsportions of two contiguous rails separately. Figs. -l and 5 are detachedviews of the confining plates.

A represents a wooden cross tie whose vertical thickness is about twoinches greater In the upper edge of the tie I form two deep gains ornotches a vertical (1) on their outer sides and at the extreme bottom oftheir inner sides whence they flare or bevel upward as shown at (2).

B, B, are portions of two contiguous rails, whose inner flanges havenotches b, to receive the inner pair of spikes C, C.

D is a rectangular plate (used by me in practice of boiler iron) one ofwhose longitudinal edges is bent squarely upward, so as to form a lip (Zwhich lip is notched 3 3 to receive the two front spikes C, C.

The plate D (Z, I call the bed plate or shoe.

E is a casting called the gib adapted to fill and fit the intervalbetween the waist or web of the rail and the vertical wall 1 of the gaina in the cross tie. The upper outer edge of the gib E has a lip orflange e which is notched (4L 4) to receive the outer spikes c c. Thebevels 2 enable the ready drawing of the spikes.

The notches 3, 3, 4t, 4, prevent the longitudinal displacement of theconfining pieces D (Z, and E 0, yet on the withdrawal of the spikes theshoe and gib can be readily removed for purposes of repair, &c.

I form the two gains of each tie very speedily and accurately by feedingit be neath four circular saws for the vertical walls of the gains andthen beneath a pair of rotary cutters for the beveled portions. Thisarrangement is accompanied by obvious and very decided economical andworking advantages.

The lateral bearing being sustained by the ends of the fibers across theentire breadth of the tie and for a considerable portion of the depth ofthe rail, the latter is perfectly solid and immovable thus avoiding aserious source of wear and destruction to which tracks and rolling stockare now liableand the whole attachment can be made for less than thebare cost of the customary wrought or cast chair.

I do not claim any form of attachment in which the main lateral strainis not received by the end fibers of the cross tie, nor any whichdepends for its security on the cohesive force of the metal fasteningsbut I claim as new and of my invention herein.

The combination of the deep vertical gain 1, gib E 6, shoe D (Z, andbeveled sides 2, the whole being constructed and operating in the mannerand for the purposes set forth.

In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

S. H. WVITMER.

Vitnesses I GEO. H. KNIGHT, FRANoIs- MILLWARD.

